June 07, 2014

Avoiding Cloud Storage for Computer Security

While I have cloud storage accounts on DropBox and Google Drive, unlike many of you I only ue these services for very specific low risk purposes. When the number of online services which have been hacked rising, and the extremely low cost of purchasing HUGE external hard drives, it does not make sense to store sensitive, important personal data and files online. In addition, these the smaller of these online services might go bankrupt. Try recovering data from the cloud from a bankrupt service.

The image shown below demonstrates how with a single click I easily back up all my important data (documents, email, photos, etc). I've blacked out my file structure for security reasons. Give this process a try!

(click upon image to view at full size)

Post Update: Make certain you read the two comments from Jim and Steve. They make some very good points about backing up your computer. Expanding upon my own post, a even better solution as Steve noted would be to have your backup in a different building. I also like Jim's comments about letting your relatives know how to access your data assuming an untimely demise of yourself! Thanks guys, great comments!

I'm not so sure the case for this approach is so clear cut.you've not factored in the risk of being burgled, or your pc and backup drive being destroyed in a catastrophic event such as a fire.

Also, if you leave the drive connected and get hit by an encrypting virus then the backup Will be encrypted also.

A hybrid solution may be to encrypt files and then store them in the cloud if you're really worried about secrecy.

I personally don't backup to the cloud due to poor broadband, but I have an expensive RAID backup device situated in an outbuilding. I've also blocked everything except ftp access to the device to prevent encryption viruses.

Taking a balance of risks approach though I'd prefer to use Google drive than have an on site single disk usb device.

Thanks, Rich.
As always, your posts are well stated and illustrated, concerning important items.
Two other elements of backup also need to be considered:
What about really important things that need to survive catastrophic events, like a fire? Traditionally, this was in a safe deposit vault or at least a fire-resistant box. Now, many people depend on backup media, which deteriorates or fails.
Second, if we have data that we want to survive our lifetimes, or even the lifetime of whatever media or archiving software we use, our family or successors need to know where that data is and how to access it. If I were to die (I should say, after I die), can my family still find those pictures that we cherished? People currently mourn photos destroyed in a fire, soon they'll mourn photos lost because of a lost password.
Of course, we may want to do something to emulate the value a photo used to have. My entire childhood life is on photo albums holding maybe a hundred photos. Now, I may shoot 100 photos in a day. If I don't somehow arrange them, it won't matter if they are lost, they are only data, not information.